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Polar history has immortalised the words that Sir Ernest
Shackleton, legendary explorer, allegedly used to recruit
his team of intrepid voyagers.
"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages.
Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant
danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in
case of success."
Now, a century on from the Shackleton's first polar expedition,
the call to men, and women, is being repeated.
The 2008 Matrix Shackleton Centenary Expedition, a modern-day
re-enactment of the 1908-09 Nimrod voyage made up of six
descendants of the original expedition team, is offering
one individual the adventure of a lifetime - the chance
to join this exclusive club.
While no previous Polar experience is required, the seventh
team member will need to be active, healthy and fit. Interested
'explorers' will undergo a series of questionnaires including
fitness and medical surveys followed by psychometric testing
and panel interviews for shortlisted candidates and a
final elimination round of endurance training in North
Wales. The successful applicant will then be put through
their paces with a crossing of the Arctic landscape of
Baffin Island, Canada, under the watchful eye of polar
explorer Matty McNair.
The successful applicant will depart the UK at the end
of December 2008 and travel to meet the expedition team
to start their Antarctic journey on January 6th 2009 at
the 97 Mile Point - the date and spot where Sir Ernest
decided to put the lives of his team ahead of glory exactly
100 years earlier. Accompanying them will be Shackleton's
great-grandson, Patrick Bergel (36), a great-grandson
of Jameson Boyd-Adams, David Cornell (38) and Tim Fright
(24), the great-great-nephew of Frank Wild, the only explorer
to accompany Shackleton on all his missions.
These four explorers will be greeted by three team mates
who, having begun their own Antarctic journey on October
29th 2008, will have already covered 803 miles from 'Hut
Point'. Using Shackleton's personal compass to navigate
the icy wastelands, this team will already have crossed
the vast Ross Ice Shelf and ascended the formidable Beardmore
Glacier.
This trio is being led by Lt Col Henry Worsley (47),
a descendant of Frank Worsley (Shackleton's skipper).
Accompanying him is Henry Adams (33), another great-grandson
of Jameson Boyd-Adams and Will Gow (35) who, inspired
by a desire to unite Shackleton's descendants at the Pole,
first came up with the idea of re-creating the voyage.
Gow is related to Sir Ernest by marriage.
Together, the combined team of seven, will finish the
journey that their ancestors began and "Close the
Pole" on behalf of the 1908-09 Team.
David Royds, chairman of Matrix Group, says: "This
is a once in a lifetime opportunity for someone to experience
the stark reality of Antarctic conditions and fulfill
a dream.
"The successful candidate will need to be prepared
to endure -35°C temperatures and 50mph headwinds,
to haul their own 100lb sled and to camp on the remotest
landscape on earth. It'll certainly be an adventure to
tell the grandchildren!
"Many dream of exploring the globe, but very few
of us have the drive, energy and passion to realise an
adventure so extreme. I'm delighted that Matrix is part
of this exciting expedition and is facilitating this life
changing journey."
Expedition leader Worsley adds: "The type of person
we will be looking for is someone whose cup is always
half full - never half empty; someone who can laugh at
themselves; a strong team player who sees this as a lifetime
opportunity and can tell a good joke to keep others' spirits
up. Above all else we want a candidate with a relentless
passion to succeed whatever the adversity."
The Matrix Shackleton Centenary Expedition is looking
for an exceptional candidate. If this unique opportunity
to forge history has captured your imagination, register
your interest at www.matrixgroup.co.uk/shackleton
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Shackleton
Foundation -
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